Two Bangladeshi cricketers—all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan and pace
bowler and cutter specialist Mustafizur Rahman—have flown to India to
play in the Indian Premier League which is set to begin on April 9.

Mustafizur Rahman will play for Sunrisers Hyderabad in his first
stint while Shakib Al Hasan will play for the Kolkata Knight Riders.

Both the players left Dhaka on Tuesday evening and will be raring to continue their good run in T20 cricket.

Before departure, Mustafizur sought everyone’s blessings for him and Shakib.

“I am not edgy at all. I am going to play for IPL for the first time
in my life. I hope everyone will put me in their prayers. I hope they
will pray for Shakib as well,” said Mustafiz prior to his departure.

Both the players, while speaking to the media before leaving,
expressed their desire to do their best in the most lucrative T20
tournament in the world at the moment.

The duo will face each other on April 16 when the Knight Riders take on the Sunrisers.

Both Shakib and Mustafizur performed well in the ICC World Twenty20.
While Mustafizur scaled nine wickets in three matches and also recorded
the best bowling figures in the World Cup with a five-wicket haul
against New Zealand, Shakib scored a half-century and also recorded his
career-best bowling figures in T20 cricket of 4 for 15 against Oman
during the tournament.